As a part of student independent reading, the Accelerated Reader program will be utilized to monitor student reading progress. This is an online program which allows students to choose books they enjoy to read. To monitor reading comprehension, a multiple choice quiz will be completed following completion of the book with AR points awarded based on the quiz outcome. As part of this requirement, students will sign a contract agreeing to their goal. Students will need to log each book that they read before taking an AR quiz. If they fail to log a book, they will not be able to take a quiz. This will be part of the contract that they sign.
Parents may wish to read the Accelerated Reader Parent’s Guide if you have questions regarding this reading program. There may be situations in which students will be permitted to take an AR quiz from home. We try to avoid those situations, but it may be available.
Students can regularly check their AR progress by simply logging into their AR program (even from home) and viewing the “Progress” page. AR goals are individualized and are based on a number of assessments.
Students may select to read AR Articles which are typically short in length and can be easily read in one sitting. These articles are nonfiction and cover over 2,000 topics with a list that continues to be updated. Students who may find reading whole books tiresome can easily find success with these nonfiction articles. Once a student completes an article, he or she will take a corresponding quiz with the opportunity to earn 1 AR point. The AR Articles are found on the Student AR Portal.
AR Grading AR grades are based on student goals. The goals are determined by a student’s reading level and other assessments. A student’s AR grade is determined by the student reaching his/her AR goal. Each nine weeks an AR grade will be given which will count as 100 points. This grade reflects the student’s AR goal. Students who have achieved more points than their required AR goal may receive up to and including 20 extra- credit points each nine-week grading period. Midterm Checks are conducted to see that students are indeed reading. Students who do not have any AR points at the halfway point in the nine-week grading period may be subject to receiving a lunch detention.
AR Due Dates 1st Nine Weeks - Oct 07 - Midterm Sep 16 2nd Nine Weeks - Dec 09 - Midterm Nov 11 3rd Nine Weeks - Mar 03 - Midterm Feb 03 4th Nine Weeks - May 19 - Midterm Apr 14
Students should be reading their independent reading material on an average of twenty minutes per day or 140 minutes per week. As students complete a selected AR book, they should then take the corresponding AR quiz.
Students will be expected to have their AR books with them at school throughout the day. Many teachers will have extra time at the end of a period in which students will be expected to read. Students who come to my class without their reading material can expect to receive a tardy if they have to go to their lockers in order to get a book.
We are scheduled as a class to have library time once a week so students will have plenty of library access time. Students will have also have opportunities to go to the library during their Warrior Time. Students can also go to the library in the morning after 7:30 a.m. until the first bell to use the resources as needed
ReadTheory Students who struggle with reading and have difficulties passing AR quizzes will be the using the ReadTheory online reading program. Students will not be placed on Read Theory until after the first quarter. This program will allow short selected passages to be assigned on a weekly basis. Students will need to complete the number of passages listed on their quarterly contract. Students’ independent reading can be monitored on a weekly basis rather than a nine-week grading period.
ReadTheory assignments are generally short in length and cover all genres with 10 to 5 questions included for each specific passage. These questions are similar to the type of questions students will have on the State Assessment. Each passage can then be graded according the student’s ability to respond to close reading of multiple choice questions as well as typing a well-composed student response. Grades will be based on the percentage correct each week and it will show up in Progress Book as out of 12.5 points each week so that over the course of the nine weeks it equals the 100 points that AR would be.
i-Ready Diagnostics To assess student reading achievement, we will be using an online diagnostic tool known as i-Ready. In the past we have used the STAR test, but we are moving to i-Ready to be consistent with the younger grade levels. You can find more information regarding this program by clicking on this link: Parent Guide.
The i-Ready program is an adaptive assessment designed to measure a student’s reading ability but to also provide individualized instruction to encourage reading growth. These assessments will take place three times throughout the school year in order to track student growth and performance. Students will be assigned individualized instruction as their assessments indicate. Students will know their weekly I-Ready instructional assignments through their quarterly contracts.
STAR Reading Assessment Aligned cohesively with the AR program is the STAR assessment. This is a reading diagnostic tool that is shorter in length than the i-Ready assessment and can be given on a more timely schedule to quickly assess a student’s reading progress. Students will be assessed using the STAR diagnostic at least once each nine-week period.